Internet use by cancer survivors: current use and future wishes
Internet use by cancer survivors: current use and future wishes
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DOI：
10.1007/s00520-008-0419-z
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发表时间：
2008-10-01
影响因子：
3.1
通讯作者：
van Eenbergen, Mies C. H. J.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V.;van Eenbergen, Mies C. H. J.
目的本研究的目的是评估互联网接入和使用的程度以及与互联网使用相关的患者特征。我们还旨在研究癌症患者何时以及在哪些网站搜索信息，自我报告对医疗保健使用的影响，以及患者对未来互联网可能性的愿望。材料与方法我们抽取了2002-2004年期间在四家不同医院诊断为乳腺癌（128例）、前列腺癌（96例）或妇科（89例）癌症或淋巴瘤（77例）的390例患者的样本，这些患者的年龄在65岁或以下。研究人员向这些患者发送了一份调查问卷，其中包含45个关于人口统计数据的问题，以及互联网使用的三个广泛应用：内容、交流、社区。结果在261名（75%）回应的患者中，60%自己使用互联网，9%通过他人使用，而31%不使用互联网。高学历、年轻和高社会经济地位都与互联网使用呈独立正相关。在有抱怨但未确诊的患者中，41%的人每天到每周几次在互联网上搜索有关癌症的信息。诊断后、治疗期间和随访时，这一比例分别为71%、56%和4%。虽然患者更愿意从肿瘤科医生（88%）、医院（70%）或荷兰癌症协会（76%）的网站上获得可靠的信息，但完全由制药行业资助和创建的网站被认为是信息来源最多的。使用互联网查找有关癌症信息的患者认为他们对自己的疾病了解得更好（72%）；只有3%的人认为互联网咨询增加了他们看医生的频率，而20%的人认为来自互联网的信息影响了他们的医生做出的治疗决定。如果可能的话，大多数使用互联网的患者希望能够访问自己的医疗文件（79%）或检查结果（81%）。结论许多癌症患者使用互联网来查找有关其疾病和治疗的可靠信息。应大力鼓励医院的患者信息中心改进其医院网站上的疾病和治疗信息设施，特别是因为大多数患者仍将肿瘤医生视为最重要的信息来源。
Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the extent of internet access and use and patient characteristics associated with internet use. We also aimed to study when and at which sites cancer patients search for information, the self-reported effect on health care use, and patients' wishes with respect to future internet possibilities.Materials and methods We drew a sample of 390 patients diagnosed with breast (n=128), prostate (n=96), or gynecological (n=89) cancer or lymphoma (n=77) in four different hospitals in the period 2002-2004, who were 65 years or younger at diagnosis. These patients were sent a questionnaire that contained 45 questions about demographics and three broad applications of internet use: content, communication, community.Results Of the 261 (75%) patients who responded, 60% used Internet by themselves, 9% via others, whereas 31% did not use the Internet. High education, young age, and high socio-economic status were all independently positively associated with internet use. Of the patients with complaints but pre-diagnosis, 41% searched the Internet for information about cancer daily to several times a week. After diagnosis, during treatment, and at follow-up, this was, respectively, 71%, 56%, and 4%. Although patients preferred to get reliable information from the Web site of their oncologist (88%), hospital (70%) or Dutch Cancer Society (76%), Web sites that are completely financed and created by pharmaceutical industries were mentioned most as source of information. Patients who used the Internet to find information about cancer felt themselves to be better informed about their disease (72%); only 3% thought that consulting the Internet increased the frequency of visiting their doctor, whereas 20% felt that information from the Internet influenced the treatment decision made by their doctor. Most patients who use the Internet would like to be able to access their own medical file (79%) or test results (81%) if possible.Conclusion Many cancer patients use the Internet to find reliable information about their disease and treatment. Patient information centers from hospitals should be strongly encouraged to improve disease and treatment information facilities on their hospital Web site, especially since most patients view their oncologist still as the most important source of information.